Chicken Pox
by LadyKnightSkye
Summary: Random fluff with some philosophical mumbojumbo thrown in. The Latest: Saga visits Aiolos' grave, and a legend is born . . .
1. Chicken Pox

-1Disclaimer: You know the usual; I don't own Saint Seiya, wish I did, or at the very least guys that cute existed, yadda yadda. Wait, did I type that last part? Hee.

CHICKEN POX

BY Niteskye

Camus, the Gold Saint of Aquarius, stretched. Another day, another training session. He hopped out of bed and put on his standard sleeveless tee, black pants, and leg warmers. He listened for the murmurings of his two students who usually were up before him doing their morning chores. The cabin was silent. The he heard a loud thunk and Issac's admonishing voice. "Hyoga! Stop scratching and help me get this wood!"

"But Issac! I can't help it! I itch every where!" Hyoga whined.

Camus opened the door to his room. Both of the young trainees looked up. Camus grimaced. Both of them were covered in red spots. They also had a flush of fever. "Oh boys." he said. They waited to see if he would reprimand them.

He put the back of his hand to Hyoga's forehead. Hyoga's skin was hot to the touch, and Issac looked just as bad. He sighed. "You two get back to bed. You have the chicken pox."

Issac wrinkled up his nose. "But we have to train! A little itching shouldn't stop us!" Behind him, Hyoga looked like he thought differently.

Camus shook his head. "But it's more then a little itching. You two have fevers as well, and any of us Gold Saints will tell you that it is unwise to fight with a fever. The best you can do is get well. Right Hyoga?"

"Um, right Master Camus." Hyoga said with a grin. Camus gave them a paternal smile and shoved them off toward the room they shared.

"You two hop back into bed. I'm going out to get some supplies." He watched them as the door to their room closed. He sighed and tried to see if he could remember what was needed to treat chicken pox. His memory wasn't forthcoming, but he knew that one of the matrons in the nearest town would know.

He walked into the freezing cold of Siberia. It was one of those rare sunny days and would have been perfect for training or just letting them run around. Or at least trying to get them to run around; Issac was forever making Hyoga spar with him even when Camus told them to just play for a little while. Nothing wrong with it, it was just that Camus didn't think either of them really need to train every single moment. Saint trainees didn't get much down time, but they did get it.

When in town he visited the general store. He decided to ask the lady at the counter, who apparently knew him, about chicken pox treatment. "Chicken pox Mr. Camus? Why yours too hunh? It's been going around; my little Jacob had it last week. All you need is some calamine for the itching and aspirin for the fever. Just don't let them scratch their skin off and they'll be fine in no time!" She walked over to the shelves and gave him several bottles of children's aspirin and tubes of calamine lotion.

Camus read the instructions on the pack, and then nodded. "Thank you."

"And tell your sons I said hello!"

Camus did a double take. "Sons?"

The lady looked surprised. "Yes, aren't Issac and little Hyoga your sons? They look a lot like you."

Camus stood there and stared at the woman. "Who said they're my sons?" he asked slowly and deliberately.

"Oh, no one, but the resemblance tipped me off."

Camus decided not to try and straighten it out since he had already been gone a half hour, and who knew what those two hellions would get into while he was gone. He paid for the purchase and began the journey back to his cabin. He spent the entire trip thinking about what the woman had said. Did Issac and Hyoga really look like him? Well Issac sort of did, and Hyoga did have similar eyes . . .

He entered the completely silent cabin. A little unwanted spark of fear went through him. Camus set down the bag he had and tried not to rush to the boys' room. Several of the trainees he'd had before had fallen ill, and most died of the illness. Once he had gone into town to fetch some medicine, and had returned to a scene similar to this. The trainee had died in the hour it had taken him to make the round trip.

The trainee was new, so Camus had only felt a small twinge of remorse. It had been like the death of a distant relative he didn't know he had. These two were special because they not only survived their first year with him; they had the courage to face the harsh training. He didn't want to walk in to find them dead in their beds.

Camus opened the door. The small squeak made Hyoga and Issac lift their heads from under the covers. Camus inwardly sighed with relief. They'd only been dozing. Hyoga gave Camus a soulful look with his big, blue eyes. "Master Camus, could you get me a cold drink of water?"

Camus went and fetched the water. He gave it to Hyoga along with the prescribed dose of medicine. Little did he know, that would become the pattern of the next few days.

"Master Camus!"

"Master Camus!"

"_Maaster Caamus!"_

By the end of the third day, he was ready to shoot himself. They were driving him insane! All they did was whine! Finally, the Saint of Aquarius got fed up with them. "HUSH!" he yelled. Both boys immediately ducked under their blankets as if to hide from his wrath.

He sighed. The boys were just miserable and swimming in calamine lotion. He had threatened to tie Hyoga up if he didn't stop scratching. The poor little blond had used his puppy dog eyes to get Camus into a better mood, but the threat still stood. "You two wait here."

Camus sprinted up to his room. He threw open the trunk at the end of his bed and began to dig through the treasure trove of books it held. "Hum . . . Deathmask's cookbook . . . Milo's copy of _Jurassic Park_ . . . Aphrodite's Valdemar books . . . Mu's tome on herbal medicine . . . That book on meditation Shaka gave me for my last birthday . . . Ah ha! Here's that old fairy tale book!" He took another look at all of the other books. "And I have to remember to give back all these books."

He returned to the boys' room and sat down on Issac's bed. Hyoga climbed up and sat next to him. Issac crowded his other side. Camus opened up the book to one of his favorite stories. It was "The Ugly Duckling". He read it to them and as the story progressed, he felt their breathing slow down. He also felt tired as well. None of them had gotten much sleep the last couple of nights. He was almost finished with the rather short story when he realized that both we deeply asleep. He finished the story anyway, and looked down at his two charges.

They were peaceful in sleep. They were little hellions that had run him ragged when they were awake, but they were like little angels when they were asleep. Camus smiled at them fondly. He brushed a strand of hair out of Issac's face. Both of them had grown on him. He realized that the woman in the store was partly right, these two were his family. They were his students, but they also felt like his little siblings or maybe even his own sons. He would do anything for them, right down to dying for them. A small chill of foreboding went down his spine, but he ignored it. Camus smiled even as his eyelids drooped.

Mu shivered. Tibet had nothing on this cold, even high up in the Himalayas. The Pope had asked him to come check on Camus since the Saint had missed his deadline for reporting in. Mu knocked on the door of the cabin, but there was no answer. He opened the door slowly. "Camus? Camus, it's me, Mu." He heard no answer.

Mu looked around. The cabin was small and homey. There was evidence that something akin to a family lived here. Mu had the fanciful thought that he could almost feel the love that the little dwelling imparted. He saw a door cracked open, and went to investigate. The sight on the other side of the door would have warmed any heart.

Camus, Issac, and Hyoga were all asleep together on one of the beds. Camus' head was leaning back against the headboard, and both of the boys' heads were on his thighs. One of Camus' hands was on Issac's head, the other was on Hyoga's back. A book lay across the Aquarius Saint's lap.

Mu smiled even bigger when he saw that Issac and Hyoga were both covered in little read spots. The Aries Saint shook his head. Chicken pox.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I got inspired to write this after reading Naotoki's "The Week". I sort of imagined what I would act like if I had to care for my little nieces and nephew if they were sick. As for the choice of stories, it was the first that came to mind for obvious reasons. Hee.

And look for more fluffy stuff. When I write one one-shot, I find that cannot stop, so I'm going to go ahead and make this one story since I already have an idea for a little Mu and Kiki fluff. It starts out as a one-shot, then becomes a story because I'm too lazy to start a new story for every new one-shot I write. Hee. Please review!


	2. Star Gazing

-1STAR GAZING

BY Niteskye

"Master Mu, why do I have to stay up so late?" Kiki asked for the fiftieth time.

"You are having an astronomy lesson tonight. Thus, you must stay up to be able to see the stars."

"But then I won't get any sleep!" Kiki nearly screeched.

Mu just rolled his eyes. _I had to get the whiny one._ "Kiki, if you do not cease this complaining, it'll be double training for a week. And I'll pass the Cygnus Cloth on to you." That shut Kiki right up. The Cloth of Swan was known for attacking people. Mu grimaced as he remembered the one time Hyoga's Cloth had clamped down hard on his rear. Now the thing was a Kamui, but it could still be cracked and it was a pain to try to fix it before it started to really attack.

Kiki looked sullen as he let Mu bundle him up. Mu didn't want him to get sick. He thought back with a shudder to the time years ago when Kiki had contracted chicken pox. Mu still blamed his trip to Siberia since he had hung out with Issac and Hyoga while they were still down with the illness.

Master and student walked outside. Kiki was actually pretty healthy, and pretty lucky. Mu had adopted him when the young trainee was an infant, and his first year had been harrowing. The harsh climate was not easy on babies, and Kiki had nearly died twice. The child pulled through and then Mu had accidentally exposed him to chicken pox. Thankfully, it hadn't been fatal.

Mu watched as the boy led him outside. Mu smiled remembering all of Kiki's firsts. His first steps, his first smiles, and most especially his first words. Brufa Moo. Brother Mu. He had only been about twelve when he first took Kiki in. After the loss of his master, the love of little Kiki had warmed his heart.

Kiki plopped down on a rock not far from the house. "Master?"

Mu was shaken out of his reverie and seated himself by his apprentice. It was chilly, and Kiki huddled up to him for warmth. "Alright. Can you name some of the constellations?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Please name them and point them out." Kiki did so, and after that, Mu began to tell him some of the tales behind them. He told about Perseus and Andromeda, Heracles, Orion and the Scorpion, and many others. Kiki listened as patiently as he could but the young boy was tired. It had been a full day, and Master Mu's melodic voice was soothing him to sleep.

Mu noticed Kiki's eyelids drooping. He asked sharply "Kiki, what's that star there?"

Kiki followed Mu's pointing finger. "Sirius. The dog star."

"Good. Now, that one."

"Aldebaran." Kiki gave a little giggle. "The brightest star in Taurus."

Mu grinned. "And the name of a certain giant friend of ours." The two laughed.

"That was so corny." Kiki whispered.

"Well I am old." Mu said.

"You're not old." Kiki argued.

"I remember changing your diapers. I'm old." Mu retorted.

"Nuh-uh. Pope Shion and the Old Master are old." Kiki said with a giggle.

"Kiki!" Mu said. He then got a twinkle in his eye. "You know for that disrespectful remark, I'm going to have to punish you."

Kiki's eyes grew big. He imagined the Cygnus Cloth coming straight at him. He wasn't prepared for what Mu did next.

"Tickle-tickle-tickle!" Mu shouted.

Kiki screeched in surprise and started to laugh uncontrollably as Mu tickled him. "Master Mu! Master Mu-hooo! Please stop! Hahahaha!"

That went on for about five or six minutes until Kiki managed to get back at Mu by tickling his sides. The two dissolved into laughter on the ground. They were lying on their backs just gazing at the stars. Mu was silent for a few moments. He hadn't had that much fun in a while. "Kiki?" he asked softly.

Kiki didn't answer, and Mu turned his head to see his student fast asleep on the ground. He heard the crunch of footsteps and looked up. His master, the Pope of Sanctuary, was standing right over him.

Mu's eyes widened and he went to get up, but Shion put a restraining hand on him. "It's alright. Stay there." Shion sat on the rock that Kiki and Mu had just vacated.

"It's good to see that you and your student are close." Shion said softly.

Mu didn't know what to say. Shion went on. "I think that's important. No man is an island, as the saying goes. You've observed Deathmask, Saga, and Aphrodite correct?"

Mu's voice was trembling as he answered. "Yes master, I have."

Shion nodded. "That is what happens when you cut yourself off from others. Evil becomes all too good a choice. To those like us, who have someone to love, evil becomes anathema."

"Yes master."

"Mu, what have you learned from those around you in the years that I have been gone?" Shion asked gently.

"Wh . . . What do you mean?" Mu asked.

"What do you know about the human heart? Think of the Bronze Saints."

Mu then realized that his master was testing him, and what his master wanted. "I've learned that our power isn't Cosmo alone." He stopped, unsure if he should really go on.

"Then what is it?" Shion asked gently.

Mu sat up and turned to look his master in the eye. "Its heart too. The Bronzes must have heard it a thousand times, but the truth is, their power was miniscule compared to us Gold Saints. They persevered, and in the end, their power matches, maybe even transcends ours." Mu paused. "And its all because they believed with all their hearts, hoped with all their hearts, and loved their goddess and their brothers with all their hearts. That was their key to victory."

"Good. Anything else?"

Mu thought about the stories behind Saga, Kanon, and even the Specters of Hades. "I've also learned that no one is born good or evil. Surely neither Saga nor Kanon came out of their mother with horns and cloven feet, and the Specters were men too. We define good and evil by our experiences. I may call Deathmask evil, but is he really? Yes, he did evil things, but is it his fault that that is all he knows? Is it? And Wyvern Rhadamanthys. Was he evil because he believed a lie? If what that Pandora woman told Ikki is true, then Hades deceived his Specters. They did evil, but he told them they were doing good. In all of the wars we've fought, we've fought humans. Other men. Men who had feelings, hopes, dreams. Are we evil for destroying that, even if our cause is supposedly good and just?"

"Morality fails us in times of war." Shion commented.

"And becomes unbearable in the peace time afterwards." Mu retorted rather harshly.

"Do you feel guilty?" Shion asked in the same tone he had been using the entire time.

"Not really. I feel . . . saddened. My comrades are suffering because of morality. They're the ones feeling guilty, yet I don't feel a thing. Maybe I'm feeling guilty about not being guilty."

"There's a circular paradox for you." Shion said with a hint of amusement in his voice. He gave his pupil a big smile. "And I'm glad you've learned while I've been gone in addition to teaching Kiki. He will make a fine Aries Saint if you should ascend to my station."

"But Master!"

Shion held up a hand. "I'm old Mu. I listened to the entire conversation you and Kiki had. You're not even into your thirties yet. I have lived through almost three centuries." He snorted. "I'm as old or older then a good many countries! Now, I would like to be able to spend the time I have left in the company of my friends and family."

Mu couldn't help but smile as a picture emerged in his head. "So you're going to go out and sit with Roshi by the waterfall and make sure Shiryu and Shunrei's kids don't fall into the water?"

Shion let out a loud bark of laughter at that. He was still chuckling when he answered. "No. Roshi and I decided that we'd move in with you and Kiki the moment Shunrei finds out that she's pregnant. Both of us have had quite enough of kids."

"But Master, everyone is a kid compared to you."

"Now your getting too cheeky. That remark deserves punishment."

Mu blanched. Oh no. What was Shion going to do? Was he going to - shudder - make him . . .

"Tickle-tickle-tickle!" Shion shouted.

Mu screeched in surprise as his Master jumped him the way he jumped Kiki. The loud shout had awakened the sleeping boy, who was now watching in amazement as the Pope of Sanctuary and the dignified Saint of Aries rolled around on the ground. Mu was shouting at the top of his lungs for his master to quit it while Shion was telling him never and not a chance. Kiki did the sensible thing, at least to a child of eight. He jumped right on in and began to tickle Shion.

The three rough-housing Aries didn't notice that Athena and Dohko were watching them with great amusement. "I haven't see Shion this happy." Athena commented. "Not in a long time."

"That's the power of having a couple of kids." Dohko said. "I know the feeling. Shunrei is like a daughter to me, and Shiryu is a lot like a son. I know that Shion sees Mu and through him, Kiki, as sons."

Athena smiled then shifted closer to Dohko. "Lets leave them alone. They're having a family moment, and it's cold here."

Dohko gave her a grin. "As my lady wishes." Dohko teleported them out of there.

Shion held up his hands. "I yield! I yield! You two are too much for me."

Kiki and Mu gave each other a high five. "We are good." Kiki said, causing Mu and Shion to laugh.

"Kiki! You've got to stop. I think all this laughing made me pull something!" Shion complained.

"Yeah right!" Mu retorted.

Shion tousled his hair. Mu made a face and batted away his master's hands Shion grew nostalgic. "Mu, I remember when you were little and I would tousle you hair like that. You would have the exact same expression on your face."

"What was Mu like when he was little?" Kiki asked.

Shion grew pensive. "He was a lot like you. Very curious and into everything, but when he gained his cloth, he grew calmer, more tranquil. I remember . . ." Shion stopped, emotion stopping him.

"What?" Mu asked, now just as curious as Kiki.

Shion's eyes shown with tears. "I remember your first words. You called me papa."

The two young Aries didn't know what to say to that. Shion chuckled. "I don't know why, maybe it was because every time you ran away from me I'd tell you to 'come to papa'. You thought it was such a funny game to run from me and then tease me by standing as far as you could from me. You got too close to the cliff edge for comfort more the once. That phrase was in vogue right around that time."

"So . . . Do you think of Master Mu as a son Master Shion?" Kiki asked with a child's indiscretion.

"Yes, and I think of you as one too. I may never be as close to you as Mu, but I think we can share him, no?" Shion said to Kiki with a conspiratorial smile and a wink.

Kiki smiled. "I do believe we can." he answered as he held out a hand. Shion took it and pulled Kiki into his lap. He grabbed Mu, who was still shell-shocked by Shion's confession, and pulled him to sit next to him.

"So Kiki, what star is that?" Shion asked.

"Betelgeuse- hey Master Shion? Can I call you Papa?"

"Yes, you may call me Papa if you like. Mu, can too." Shion turned to Mu. "The very least you can do is stop calling me Master."

Mu smiled. "Okay . . . Papa. But I'm only calling you that in private."

"Humph. Why?"

"I do have my pride."

"Riiiight. You just don't want to be made fun of!" Kiki retorted.

"Why you little!"

"Mu! Just because you are twenty-one doesn't mean I can't take you over my knee!"

"Yes sir."

The next morning Dohko and Athena returned to Jamir. Right where they had left them were the three Aries. Athena smiled as she stood over them. "Dohko, I've made my decision."

"Yes?"

"Saga shall be the next Pope, legitimately this time. I know Shion came here to see if Mu would be the best for when he stepped down, but Mu and Kiki are what he should step down to. They are his family, and three defenders of the first temple ought to make an impression. We have Kanon to take over Gemini and I have decided that it is time for Seiya and Shiryu to ascend and fill in Libra and Sagittarius. That way, you may spend the rest of your long life bugging Shion and being a grandfather to Shunrei's kids."

"My lady, Shunrei isn't going to like having a Gold Saint as a husband. Always in danger . . ."

"Dohko, honestly, after Hades was destroyed, and Olympus defeated, I don't think anyone is really going to mess with us. Not for a while. And with three defenders in the first house, a giant in the second, a master illusionist not only in the third house, but in the main temple as well, a reformed anti-social psychopath in the fourth, a truly pugnacious lion in the fifth, a rather militant Buddhist in the sixth, and him being more then capable in the seventh, not to mention the fact that Hyoga, Ikki, Shun, and Seiya will come running no matter what I tell them, means that I'm sure he'll be okay."

"If you say so."

"I do. I also say that I wish I had my camera. This is truly a Kodak moment."

"My lady, you lost me."

"Dohko, we're going to have to bring you up to speed. What I meant was that is a moment that deserves to be remembered."

"Don't worry my lady it will, it will." Dohko smiled at the three on the ground.

Because Shion had a happy grin on his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Originally, this was going to be just Mu and Kiki fluff, but as I wrote it, it evolved into Mu, Kiki, and Shion fluff. Mostly because I saw a really cute picture of the three of them. Hee. Please review!


	3. Brothers Forever

-1Author's Notes: K, someone requested I do some Saga fluff concerning becoming Pope, but in my mind it became Gemini Twin fluff. Hee. Wait. Not that kind of fluff. (Glares) Kidding. I'm happy, can you tell?

BROTHERS FOREVER

Saga sighed. He entered the Gemini temple with a slow step. He followed the sounds of someone singing to the kitchen area. Kanon was singing something that sounded suspiciously like 'Spongebob Squarepants' as he made dinner. The younger twin had always been the better cook.

He smiled when he saw his elder brother. "Oh, hello Saga. Why the long face?"

Saga gave him a wane smile. "Athena named me the next Pope."

Kanon gave a bright smile. "That's great!"

Saga frowned. "If you think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kanon asked.

Saga shook his head and left. He trudged to his room and plopped down on the bed. He stared at the ceiling thinking. He didn't know if he was fit to be Pope. Sure he had run Sanctuary for thirteen years, but under his rule it had become a place of death and despair. Who was to say that it wouldn't revert to that when he took back over?

Kanon walked in. "Saga," he asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I'm fit to be Pope." Saga whispered. He curled up on his side facing the window. He could see the moon's crescent smile and the bright stars. Suddenly, his view was blocked by his twin's face. Kanon was smiling gently.

"Bro, you'll make a fine Pope. You already know what to do." he said.

"But that's just it, I only know how to rule this place with violence. I didn't rule like Shion." Saga retorted.

"You know how. I have faith in you." Kanon said. "You're not ruled by him anymore, so it'll be alright. You have it in you to lead us. I know you do."

Saga smiled genuinely at his little brother. He was only younger by a few minutes or so, but he always seemed to still be a kid. "Kanon, how old are you?"

"Twenty-eight physically. About seven mentally." the younger twin quipped.

"I can tell. What makes you so certain I'm up to this?"

Kanon looked pensive. "Because you're my big brother."

Saga tried to say something, but Kanon stopped him. "And because you know what it takes to lead, without the death and destruction. Yes, Sanctuary became a den of iniquity when you assassinated Shion, but with Athena here and you, well, you, Sanctuary won't fall. It will stay the way it is, the way it should be. You were ruled by madness before, and now you have faced and defeated your demons. You can be a just Pope. All you need is the chance to prove yourself."

Saga mulled it over, but found another problem. "But what about everyone that has been hurt by my misdeeds. Will they let themselves be ruled by me?"

"Aiolia will put in a good word for you Saga. He stood next to you when you took down the Wailing Wall."

"How do you know that?"

"By that time I had already died. I watched you. Saga, Aiolia stood next to you, and you took away the most precious thing he had. His brother. But the beauty is he forgave you. He knew of the evil that ruled your heart, and he knew that he couldn't blame you. Everyone does. For what it's worth, the Bronze Saints will support you."

"I guess you didn't hear the other news then."

"What other news?"

"Seiya and Shiryu are being elevated to the rank of Gold. Dohko is also retiring and Seiya will finally take over as Saint of Sagittarius."

Kanon grinned. "That's good. Both of them will defend you."

Saga looked unconvinced. "Kanon, has it occurred to you that I nearly killed Seiya. I don't think I have much of a friend there."

"But you do. Seiya saw first hand your insanity. I think he was the first after Athena to truly forgive you." Kanon said gently. "And anyway, I don't think that kid can carry much of a grudge. Too busy being noble."

Saga laughed. "Kanon you always had the razor edged wit. Are you sure?"

Kanon rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to say this, Saga you'll do fine! Athena will be here, I'll be here, for her sake, Shion will probably be here bothering Mu. It's not like they're going to just throw you into it without a little help."

"I think that's what I wanted to hear most." Saga whispered.

Kanon frowned for a moment, but then he smiled. He reached out and touched Saga's shoulder. "Brother, I'll always be here for you. Always. I never wish to leave now that we both have a place here."

Saga reached out, and pulled his twin into a hug. "Thanks." he whispered.

"No prob." Kanon answered. Then he sniffed. "Ack! Dinner!" The younger twin jumped from the bed and ran into the kitchen as Saga laughed on the bed. The new Pope got up and walked to the kitchen to watch his brother desperately try to save the roast.

Kanon held up the scorched meat. "Looks like we're ordering out." he said glumly.

Saga laughed. "Why don't we both go bug Mu and Shion? I'm sure they won't mind, and anyway . . ." Saga got a mischievous look in his eye. "I am Pope, and you are my brother."

The Gemini Twins shared an equally maliciously, mischievous smile.

Down in Aries Temple, Mu and Shion got the eerie feeling that they were being hunted. "Master," Mu asked, "Why do I feel uneasy?"

Shion was putting the finishing touches on the stew he was making. "I don't know."

"Oh, Shion."

Both looked up to see the Gemini boys in the doorway. Saga was smiling sweetly. "You wouldn't happen to have enough for two more would you?"

The young and old Aries Saint shared a look. Shion sighed. "Mu, I think this is why you were uneasy. Sit, sit, we have enough for all of the Gold Saints."

"Thank you." Saga and Kanon said in unison.

"In that case . . ."

Nine heads appeared in the doorway. "What are you, bloodhounds?" They all nodded. Shion sighed again. "Mu, get the extra chairs."

Mu ran to do as he was told. "Yes master."

Later, amid all the noise of the Gold Saints toasting their former Pope, Kanon raised his glass to Saga. "Brothers forever?"

Saga smiled and raised his own wine. "Brothers forever."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aww, sweet gooey mush. Please review!


	4. Forgiveness

-1Author's Note: This is something that Kathiii requested I write. It's a little darker then my usual fluff, but me likey anyway. By the way, if you would like to see something, don't hesitate to ask. I do requests.

Please review!

FORGIVENESS

Saga was hesitant. Tomorrow was his coronation as the new Pope, but he had one last thing to do before the ceremonies and rituals were to begin. He had to go to the Cemetery of Saints.

The other Gold Saints had watched him stride up the stairs of the path of the twelve temples, and finally hesitate at the gates of the graveyard. Deathmask, Camus, Shura, and Aphrodite especially knew his fear; it was hard to walk into a place that you had once lain in as a corpse. Not to mention the fact that no one had bothered to remove their tombstones. The very first one you saw as you entered was actually Saga's. Not pleasant in the least.

The former Gemini Saint finally walked into the lonely cemetery. He skirted the holes that had once housed the bodies of him and the other Saints that had lost their lives during the reign of his evil side. Up on a small rise, was a lone headstone. The granite read simply "Aiolos, Sagittarius Saint". It had been the one order he had never regretted during his reign of terror; the order to have Aiolos honorably buried even though traitors were supposed to be left to rot.

Saga knelt in front of the stone. Aiolos had not been reborn with the rest of them because he had not taken an active role in the Holy War, and Shion had said that Aiolos had not wished to go back to the world of the living. He had been dead almost as long as he had been alive.

The wind blew softly, and the scattered clouds threw shadows on the ground. "Aiolos, I had to come to ask your forgiveness." Saga began quietly.

"I don't know if you can forgive me for what I did. I remember back when we first got our Cloths. We were the youngest of the Gold Saints then, and we didn't know Deathmask, Shura, Aphrodite, Camus, Milo, Shaka, Mu, or Aldebaran yet. We knew of Roshi and we of course knew Shion, but we were the only two. We became such good friends then.

"When the older ones came, Shura, Aphrodite, and Deathmask, I remember how we took Shura under our wing, yet somehow left Aphrodite and Deathmask out. Maybe if you had befriended them too, maybe then I could have been stopped." Saga couldn't help but smile sadly. "Okay, maybe not. Deathmask is a tad bit on the psychotic side."

He sighed. "But then I wasn't such a good friend as I thought. I hid the existence of my brother from you; the reason is still a blur to me. Then, I didn't tell you about those black outs where I would be doing some innocuous activity one moment, and the next, find myself holding the neck of some stray foot soldier. Maybe if I had, then I could have gone to the Pope, and my evil side wouldn't have progressed farther. Maybe he wouldn't have seduced me to the path that I took.

"Aiolos, I became the very thing that I was supposed to fight, and I didn't realize it until it was too late. I didn't realize, until I saw them carting your bloodied body back in, and I saw Shura nearly in tears but fighting to not let them fall. I knew when I saw Aiolia ostracized for the crime of being your kin. For that, I can only ask forgiveness, but I know that not everything can be fixed by saying sorry."

The breeze ruffled Saga's hair. The blue strands temporarily blocked his view of the headstone, but it didn't hide the tear that ran down his cheek. "I betrayed you almost every way possible. But saying sorry isn't all that I'm going to do. I'm being named the new Pope, this time with the blessing of Athena, and I promise you now, I will rule as you would have. I will lead Sanctuary and the Saints in this time of peace and prepare for the next war. Aiolos, I'm doing that to atone for my misdeeds, and I hope that if you can't forgive me now, you can forgive me the next time we meet."

The wind was all that Saga heard, but he felt something brush his shoulder. He was only wearing a sleeveless training tunic and pants, and the light brush made him look up. Two large, white feathers drifted lazily to the ground at his feet. He looked up to the sky, almost expecting to see Aiolos floating above him, but all he saw was blue sky. He looked back at the feathers and gently picked them up.

Saga stood and turned with a smile. He knew that the feathers were Aiolos' way of telling him that he was forgiven already. The new Pope was still determined to do his best for Aiolos anyway. When he looked to the entrance of the graveyard, there stood the twelve Gold Saints; Mu, Aldebaran, Kanon, Deathmask, Aiolia, Shaka, Shiryu, Milo, Seiya, Shura, Camus, and Aphrodite. All of them were giving him smiles, and when he reached them, Shaka caught sight of the feathers.

"So he forgives you." the Virgo Saint stated.

Saga could only nod. Aphrodite began to search his pockets. "Now, I knew I had it on me . . . Ah-hah!" The Pisces Saint pulled out a leather thong from his back pocket. He picked off an aqua colored hair, and held out his hand. "May I see the feathers?"

Saga raised a brow, but gave them to him. Aphrodite quickly tied the feathers together with the thong and then beckoned to Saga. He complied with the Pisces Saint's summons, and Aphrodite quickly braided the feathers into Saga's hair. "There." he said.

Saga smiled. "Thanks." He glanced back at the others. They were smiling too, and began to turn back to return to their temples. The last to leave was Seiya, and before he left, he glanced over his shoulder. Saga was staring off at the horizon, the breeze blowing his hair and the feathers gently. Seiya got the fanciful idea that Saga could see something he couldn't, maybe what the future would bring. The new Sagittarius Saint shook his head at himself, and began to walk back to his temple.

Saga smiled at the back of the youngest of the Gold Saints. Saga knew that Seiya would become a legend as would Aiolos. What the new Pope didn't know is that he would become one himself.

That war spawned the stories of the five Kamui and their wearers, the civil war in Sanctuary, and a multitude of others. Among them was the story of the man who twice became Pope. Once he had done it by deceit and evil. The second, Athena herself blessed him. The only part of his story that never changed, not in millennia of telling it, was the fact that he wore two feathers braided into his hair until the day he died.


End file.
